Green Fibres and Textiles - from Denise Bird Woven Textiles |
Denise Bird carefully selects fibres from
local and global sources which are proven to be ecologically and / or eco-therapeutically
conscious. They are often from fairly traded sources, are normally natural
and woven in their naturally coloured, und-yed state. Natural dye pigments
are occasionally applied and always stated. We hope that our products and
textile designs satisfy the growing public demand for ecologically sound,
exceptional quality, hand made textile clothing and furnishing textile
design solutions which are luxurious, desirable, contemporary yet timeless
in style and which are available at realistic prices. |
Organic
Cotton All
DBWT cotton and cotton containing products are certified organic
by internationally recognized and accredited inspection organization ‘SKAL’ (under
their ‘EKO’ label).
The fibre is grown under strict supervision in countries
such as Latvia and Peru. It is free from all chemical treatments
including pesticides, herbicides, artificial growth regulators,
defoliants or other agro-chemicals. No post harvesting treatments
such as bleaching, anti-inflammatory and anti-moth repellents
have been applied. Certified organic cotton is soft, cool
and luxurious. All DBWT organic cotton items are presently
un-dyed. Most of our cotton is from fair trade sources. |
U.K. Reared Alpaca
Alpaca are reared in the U.K. solely for the production of
fibre; their meat does not enter the food chain. Always un-dyed, which
is an environmental bonus and naturally coloured, a hollow fibre core traps
air to offer superior warmth with little weight - a soft, luxurious and
warm fibre. |
U.K. Alpaca is often blended with U.K. wool. It is fully
processed within mainland Britain and so does not contribute to the environmental
pollution caused by aviation and long distance transportation. |
Hemp
Otherwise known as ‘weed’ because
of its ability to grow rampantly without the use of chemical fertilisers
and other pollutants, hemp fibre products are fully biodegradable
and fast becoming a popular choice for many eco-textile consumers. |
Bamboo
Hand (and increasingly, machine) spun, a light, silky natural fibre with
an ivory glow, bamboo is grown without the need for agro-chemical interference,
bamboo fibre has natural anti bacterial properties, it is biodegradable,
breathable, cool and offers superior water retention properties.
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Pakucho - Certified Organic, Colour - Grown Cotton Indian descendants of ancient Peruvian
cultures maintain the nearly 5 millennia old tradition of harvesting
naturally coloured cotton of Peru. It is certified organic by accredited
inspection organization ’SKAL’ under
their ‘EKO’ label and is available in a selection of colours.
We have chosen to blend ’ocean green’ with natural organic
cotton in our ’alligator’ gown which gives an ’ocean
mist’ tone. No dye or other chemical treatment is applied to the
fibre. Organic, naturally coloured cotton fibre reduces chemical pollution
on the field, in the weavers’ studio and in the home. Pakucho is
from a registered fair trade source. |
Silk Noil Commercial silk production is perhaps one of the most ecologically unsound
methods of textile fibre production. Silk Noil is spun from broken silk
cocoons and other waste silk. It is available un-dyed in a range of natural
ivory, dusk and golden tones, is warm to touch with a unique antique- linen
like quality and texture. |
Recycled Plastic Bottles
Hand spun and little known of its origin, a hardy fibre and
under promoted. Perhaps one of the most ecologically responsible fibres
of our time - plastic is un-biodegradable and an environmental problem
which is difficult to get rid of. |
Qoperfina Copper
Fine Peruvian Certified
(by accredited inspection organization ‘SKAL’ (/‘EKO’))
Organic Cotton is blended with 2% Angelina Copper Metal Fibres. It is also
occasionally blended with Andean mountain Alpaca which carries the ‘EKO‘organic
certification label. No chemical ingredients are permitted on either
land or animals of Organic Alpaca - it has hypoallergenic qualities
and is un-dyed and naturally coloured with a hollow fibre core offering
superior warmth with little weight. These are technically advanced
fibres which offer both luxurious and therapeutic qualities. Qoperfina
is from a registered fair trade source. |
The Qoperfina is made with pure copper metal and will corrode
with exposure to any acids, especially bleaches or chlorides used in dry
cleaning fluids. They can only be hand washed with bio degradable detergents
and no bleach. |
| Medicinal Features (extracted from manufacturers
information) |
‘Qoperfina Copper [garments] is anti-microbial with
anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Copper’s sterilization
and deodorization capabilities prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi
and germs. Qoperfina Copper garments have anti-inflammatory properties.
It is now well accepted within the scientific community that copper,
in contact with the skin forms a copper chelate which is absorbed back
through the skin membrane and transported throughout the body.
Copper chelates exert an anti- inflammatory action that helps to relieve
arthritic symptoms and help to neutralize harmful free radicals present
in the body.
Qoperfina Copper [garments] is thermal regulating.
Fabrics containing copper hold body heat, emanating from within and
redirect this warmth back to the body, while the porosity of the textile
allows for the circulation of air so that the body can still “breathe”.
Copper fibres have conductive and anti-static properties.
Qoperfina Copper is an anti stress fibre that may help shield the human
body against electromagnetic waves that deplete our natural serotonin
and melatonin, the hormones that help guide our sleeping pattern and
protect against some pathogenic effects. Such electromagnetic interference
could include electronic devices such as cell phones and computers.
Qoperfina Copper [garments] provide protection
from UV radiation‘.
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Tencel
Promoted as ‘the’ green fibre of the decade,
Tencel is non-chemically produced from a renewable source - sustain ably
managed forests. It is fully biodegradable, breathable, light, and soft
to touch - an arguably ‘green’ alternative to silk. |
Soy Bean Fibre
Hand (and increasingly,
machine) spun from leftovers of edible soy-bean protein, soy bean
fibre is soft and silky; it offers a rich, warm palette of golden
hues, can be bleached or dyed. Soy bean fibre is anti bacterial,
rich in protein and contains 18 kinds of active minerals which
aid human bio chemistry. It is grown without the need for agro-chemical
interference which is an environmental and socially responsible
plus. A natural, ‘green’ alternative to conventional
(un-ethically) reeled silk. |
Certified Organic U.K. Wool
Indigenous to our own, U.K. culture and Kingdom, organic
wool is available in multi-various tones and shades from ivory through
golden, greys, browns and black. It responds well, too to natural dyes.
Available spun to knit or hand spin, because of its locality, its is perhaps
the most ecologically sound and socially responsible natural fibre within
the U.K. |
Vegetarian Peace Silk |
Undoubtedly the most ecologically
sound Silk fibre in the world. DBWT(U.K.) suppliers are an all India
registered company whose operations provide humanitarian services
to Indigenous Indian communities. The silk worms who supply the fibre
live in their natural environment, (unlike conventionally reeled
silk whose silk worms are intensively farmed indoors and fed through
cages) thus protecting vulnerable areas of woodland otherwise threatened
with deforestation for industrial purposes (the worms’ natural
habitat is the bark and leaves of trees). Once the worm has emerged
from its silk cocoon to complete its natural life-span as a silk
moth, (worms are boiled to death inside their cocoon prior to emerging
as moths in the conventionally reeled silk industry) to mate (conventionally,
those worms that do emerge do so only for industrial reproduction
purposes and have become so domesticated that they are little more
than wingless mating machines) and die, the waste cocoon is then
collected by a member of a local community. It is then hand spun
and sold or hand spun and hand woven into exquisite cloth for sale. |
Conventionally prepared silk uses inhumane practices to meet
the consumer demand for reeled silk. The silk worms are killed prior to
their emergence as moths so that the cocoon is not naturally broken during
its emergence. The silk can then be reeled off of the cocoon in one long,
mono filament strand by human hand as opposed to the need for spinning
the shorter, broken fibres (noils) to make the strand. |
Occasionally, naturally coloured ivory, golden, dusk and
other earthy hues of Vegetarian Peace Silk is dyed with low impact or natural
dyes. |
The traditional and ancestral art of hand loom weaving in
India is always threatened by the use of the industrial power loom. DBWT
(U.K.) suppliers pride themselves on encouraging and keeping the art alive.
The company supply indigenous, Indian tribesmen and women with the means
to earn a fair income in areas where no other employment is available.
The silk (mugha, tassar, eri and others) is naturally organic. |
There are very many other ecological
fibres appearing on the market. DBWT (U.K.) is experimenting with a few
of them.
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